CBP’s busy 2013

U.S. Customs and Border Protection experienced an increased workload for border enforcement in fiscal year 2013, ended Sept. 30, despite tight manpower constraints from the sequester.
In a year-end update, CBP said it processed almost 25 million cargo containers through ports of entry, up 1 percent from the previous year. It conducted more than 24,000 seizures of goods that violated intellectual property rights, with a total retail value of $1.7 billion – a 38 percent increase in value from fiscal year 2012.
Overall, CBP processed more than $2.3 trillion in imports and exports.
As part of its recent drive to modernize and facilitate trade, the agency enrolled more than 1 million new travelers in trusted traveler programs – Global Entry, SENTRI (southern border), NEXUS (northern border) and FAST (for commercial truck drivers) – with overall membership at more than 2.2 million. There are more than 1 million members in Global Entry – which is for international travelers outside North America. Members of these programs are now also eligible for the Transportation Security Administration’s Pre✓™ program, which provides a fast lane for screening on domestic flights to those who have undergone background checks.
CBP opened six new Centers of Excellence and Expertise, which serve as single points of processing for participating importers. The benefits include uniform enforcement practices across ports of entry, facilitating timely resolution of trade compliance issues from offices with subject-matter experts, and serving as knowledge hubs for CBP personnel as well as companies with compliance questions.